TABLE 1.

Themes, Major Findings, and Relevant Quotes Related to Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs About Alcohol Use During Pregnancy

Theme and Example Question	Major Finding	Relevant Quotes
Attitudes toward alcohol use during pregnancy
What thoughts come to mind when you think about a woman drinking alcohol during pregnancy?	Most participants expressed negative views of women who drink while they are pregnant; some supported limited alcohol use (usually wine)	“That would have to be the dumbest thing you can do.” “I actually always use the word ignorant.” [Atlanta, Black/African American, 25– 35, trying/planning to get pregnant]
		“Like it’s, you know, research indicates that, you know, a glass of wine during pregnancy, you know, every now and again, is okay.” [Chicago, White, 25 – 35, trying/planning to get pregnant]
Knowledge of FAS
What problems do you think that drinking during pregnancy might cause?	Many women across all of the groups held at least some accurate knowledge about the consequences of alcohol use during pregnancy, including specific indicators of FAS	“The baby doesn’t function as well as other babies its age. I guess mental retardation. They don’t have like developed, they have underdeveloped like motor skills.” [Atlanta, Hispanic, 18– 24, trying/planning to get pregnant]
Knowledge—misconceptions
What have you heard about drinking during different stages of pregnancy?	Many of the women held common misconceptions including the safety of alcohol use later in pregnancy and that drinking some types of alcohol (i.e., wine) is okay and may provide benefits	“ … not at all, but if somebody was to drink, I think the first two trimesters are the most important so limit the usage. And then if you want to, once the third trimester comes around, and you’re fine and the baby’s fine, then, you know, do what you got to do.” [Chicago, White, 25 – 35, trying/ planning to get pregnant]
		“I’ve heard that in your third trimester it was all right to have a glass of wine every now and then.” [Atlanta, White, 18 – 24, trying/planning to get pregnant]
Reasons women drink and/or abstain from alcohol during pregnancy
What are reasons that a woman might drink alcohol while pregnant?	Perceived reasons for drinking during pregnancy included stressors (stress and depression), alcohol- ism, social pressures, and not caring about the child The most common reasons for a woman deciding to abstain from alcohol use while pregnant was for the health of the baby, followed by social pressure	“But a woman who, I think knowing, with the education that we have and the medical health, a woman who would drink alcohol during pregnancy, it would stem from either a sign of depression or something along the lines of that. So I just, I think that typically there’s something going on, psychologically, emotionally, that would cause a woman to do that knowing the effects on the baby.” [Chicago, Black/African American, 25 – 35, recently had baby]
		“You might have like a genius inside of you and then you drink alcohol and they just might be average and you never know that they had that potential and you like stunted it.” [Atlanta, Black/African American, 18– 24, recently had baby]

Abbreviation: FAS, fetal alcohol syndrome.